The subject of the present invention is a separating device suitable for connection to a rotating magazine, consisting at least of a conveyor duct for transporting rivets, wherein a first limiting face of the conveyor duct is formed by a base plate; a second limiting face of the conveyor duct is formed by a right-hand guide segment, and a third limiting face is formed by a left-hand guide segment.
In the prior art, it is known to provide a conveyor duct formed by the guide segments and base plates that are rigid in design, i.e. the cross-sectional profile of the conveyor duct is formed, for example, in a T-shape for punch rivets by rigidly fastened limiting faces. The limiting faces are conventionally formed by guide segments, wherein the guide segments are fastened to the base plate by means of a plurality of fastening elements. With the aid of a rotating magazine connected directly to the entrance region of the conveyor duct, rivets are introduced into the conveyor duct in a particular orientation and are brought to an end point due to the gravitational force in the conveyor duct so as to be transported there to a desired position via a slider system. Individual rivets can wedge in the transport path through the conveyor duct due to tolerances between the rivet size and the size of the conveyor duct cross-section, so the transport of rivets is stopped within the conveyor duct. A transport stoppage of this type is particularly disadvantageous as it may be necessary to release the individual guide segments from their fastening to remove the wedging. Effort of this type for disassembly is not only time-consuming but also technically complicated due to the numerous individual parts.
It is the object of the present invention therefore to provide a separating device which significantly reduces the risk of rivets wedging in the conveyor duct.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a separating device that will oscillate one or more of its components, as needed, so as to release any wedged rivets.
Due to the oscillating ability of at least one guide segment, preferably the left-hand guide segment, the conveyor duct, preferably T-shaped in cross-section, is not and does not remain rigid in design, but, due to the oscillation of a segment, preferably the left-hand guide segment, its cross-sectional area continuously alters slightly when the slider of the conveyor duct pushes the last rivet in each case out of the conveyor duct at the exit region. By introducing the oscillation into the at least one, preferably left-hand guide segment, wedging of rivets inside the conveyor duct is released and continuous movement in the exit direction of the conveyor duct caused by the gravitational force is thus assisted.
The oscillation is preferably introduced into the left-hand guide segment by mechanical means. It is also conceivable to introduce an oscillation into at least one guide segment electronically and, for example, this can be brought about by a piezoelectric element which is designed and arranged so as to allow the conveyor duct to oscillate.
In the present invention, a mechanical means is used, consisting of a friction face with a corrugated surface profile and integrated on the slider and also having a pin mounted on a helical spring, wherein the pin is designed and arranged in such a way that, as a result of a longitudinal movement of the slider and therefore of the friction face, the pin is moved over the corrugated surface profile and an oscillation is thus introduced into at least one, preferably left-hand, guide element.
The slider is expediently arranged at the entrance region of the conveyor duct and receives the last rivet in each case into a gap and transports it preferably perpendicularly to the conveyor duct axis into a further region in order to transport the rivet aligned in the predetermined position for further use.
Directly downstream of a recess in the slider into which the rivet is introduced for transport, a friction face with a corrugated surface profile is preferably arranged on which friction face the mechanical means located in at least one, preferably the left-hand, guide segment rests and is moved by the longitudinal slider movement of the slider. This mechanical means inside the at least one, preferably right-hand, guide segment is formed, in a preferred embodiment, by a pin biased by means of a spring in a blind hole and, as a result of this bias, rests with a certain force on the friction face with the corrugated surface profile. Due to the longitudinal movement of the slider, the point of the pin is guided along the profile, so the point travels the contour profile in each case and is thus made to oscillate, the oscillation, in turn, being transmitted to the at least one, preferably left-hand, guide segment.
It would also be possible for the present invention to have an embodiment (not shown) in which the surface profile of the friction face is not corrugated in design, but has peaks or a curved profile (for example involutes). The only crucial factor in the design of the surface profile is that, as a result of the mechanical contact of a movable means inside at least one, preferably the left-hand guide segment, oscillation is introduced therein.